Weak hand epiphany

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Corporal K

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So, I've probably fired 100k rounds in my life and maybe a whopping total of 200 with my left hand. Well last night I ended up sleeping on my right arm and when I woke up, it was completely numb and useless for a couple of minutes.

I can hit targets with my left, but not very well and not from very far, so as a result, I'm going to start shooting 50/50 next time I go to the ranch (not the range).

Lesson learned the easy way. :)
 
Weak hand practice is vital. Your other hand may be busy at crunch time. Or crunched at busy time.
 
Absolutely. When you actually have to use your handgun, it means everything else in the world has gone wrong. You might be stuck with one hand or another for a variety of reasons. Go a step further, know how to reload and clear a stoppage one-handed with EITHER hand.
 
For some reason I find I am more accurate shooting one handed lefty that righty (although I am right-handed). Slower but more accurate.
 
exflatlander it may be that you are left eye dominant. As for practise with your off hand. It is necessary. A report I read years ago stated that your off hand practise should all be one hand because unless your stong hand is totally useless you will try to use it even if it means supporting the gun with your off hand while shooting strong hand. In other words if you can use your strong hand you will. Unless you have had so much training that you switch to your weal hand for tactical reasons.
 
As much as I've shot through the years, very little has been "weak side". Its not that it's hard...It's not as successful. We all like the accomplishment factor...such as hits...speed...smoothness, ect. Those don't come as easily when we shift to the other hand.

So, I need to start the effort to learn the weak side. I'll try to have part of each trip focus on that. A whole different slant. :what:

I just thought about this. I don't even know if I can reach my pistol for a weak side draw! :uhoh:

Mark.
 
We do a lot of weak hand in IDPA matches, no weak hand draws though, a safety thing.

Cant the pistol a little inboard, be aware of the trigger a little more, close up (5 yards or less piece of cake) 10 yds plus, lock arm tight, grip real firm.

Because the average shooter is not keen on it, not a popular practice regime.
 
I always shoot off hand for at least one or two mags at the range... I find that when I shoot off hand, unsupported, I use my off-eye also to get the best shot..

I'm left handed, and usually close my right eye when I aim, but when I shoot right handed, I close my left eye.

I find that I shoot almost as accurate right handed, although I find myself noticeably slower.. I figure if I keep practicing this way, I should be able to bring my speed up to close to my strong hand/eye.

I've known several people who have been forced into ambidexterity because of injury, and become 90-95% as good with their off hand for writing, manipulating things, etc..

I just decided to not wait for injury to get there. Don't get me wrong, it's taken years to hone the skills, but it is quite possible. I can now write just as legibly with my right hand as my left, but it once again, is slightly slower.
 
For some reason I find I am more accurate shooting one handed lefty
Click to expand...

I also had an epihpany of sorts this week regarding my "weak" hand. Although I'm left-handed, I've always shot right handed and right-eyed.

On my last visit to the range, I finally embraced my left-handedness by shooting with that hand, unsupported, both eyes open, aiming with the left eye. It felt funny - but it was the best groups I shot all day!
 
It's a natural thing to practice what we're good at. The sense of accomplishment is what makes us feed our hobby. However, real world stuff isn't about a sense of accomplishment, it's about a sense of not being shot to pieces because your strong hand is out of commission.
 
In addition to regular practice weak handed, the SERIOUS handgunner has a holster set-up for his weak hand ready to go.

A couple hours after your arm gets broken is a helluva time to realize that you have neither practice or a holster set-up.

.
 
I never trained with my weak hand (I"m a south paw) until last year. I took a couple of courses with an outfit that was stressing movement in different directions while pointshooting (one handed, all at 10 yrds and in) and instead of contorting your body just switching hands depending on which direction we were moving. I found it to be be very natural and got all my hits. We also practiced acquiring a two handed grip and sighted fire and I felt this to be slower and required more concentration on my part. Like other have stated I think it is vital to condition yourself to operate you pistols and rifles with your non-dominant side. If I remember right the instructors were calling it bilateral shooting.
 
I definitely plan on learning to shoot one-handed with my left hand. Why? Because if I have to grab a gun in the middle of the night from my bedside table, I'll likely be leaning up in bed on my right elbow grabbing my gun with my left hand if I don't have time to sit or stand all the way up...
 
I'm a big proponent of shooting with your non-dominant side. To the point that I'll take a class & run the whole thing with my right hand (normally shoot lefty).

I think it's unfortunate that more people dont' practice with their other side & that more trainers don't emphasize shooting with the other side as well.

Running range drills I'll generally go 1/4 2 handed left, 1/4 2 handed right, 1/4 one handed left & 1/4 one handed right. Draws, malfunction clearances, reloads, etc. Pistol, rifle, shotgun.

You never know what's going to be handed to you & you better be able to get your gun into the fight.
 
I practice{not as much as I used to} with all of my firearms weak handed. Now im not smiting pie plates at 75 yards with a snubby .38spcl weekhanded anymore, but im still pretty darn good.

messed my right thumb up tossing around the football few months back during hunting season and thankfully I could handle my rifle just fine southy.
 
I went to the range last night and shot all 4 guns I had with me both two handed righty (my normal setup) and one-handed with each hand.

The groups I was able to shoot one-handed lefty were astounding good (and much better than my one-hand righty groups).

Even with a short-barreled .38 shooting DA which makes me feel better if I were to injure my right arm.
 
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